Armor, July-August 1993 Edition
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It‘s always inspiring for me to discover how an Army, and as a nation. And it is in the many people outside of active duty, national spirit of finding a better way that we feature guard, and reservists like to talk tanks. I can articles on call for fire, field trains security, be on-post, off-post, or at the post office, and and maneuver sketches among others. The once people find out what I do, they can’t historical articles herein provide balance and wait to share their views on armored warfare help us quantify our lessons learned. The or the latest in combat vehicle development. overview on Yugoslavia will set the scene for Sometimes their comments lead to a story for what promises to be a benchmark story com- ARMOR, often times not, but I always come ing in the September-October ARMOR - an away from the discussion edified. I’ve been in eyewitness to a tank battle in the Balkans. this job a year now, and I’ve heard every- So, we martial descendants of St. George thing from, “We need to up-gun the AI,” to keep sharpening our sword and polishing our “I’ve got this idea for how to armor as we await the next make a tank float on a challenge. And while there cushion of air ...” is no hunger for battle in Some of those notions the eyes of those who have about tank design crystal- truly seen it, there is a glint ized recently with our Tank of certainty that it will come Design Contest, sponsored nonetheless. Like the medi- by ARMOR and the U.S. eval knight, who upon slay- Armor Association. I want ing the last visible chal- to personally thank all those who put time, lenger, reluctantly sheathes his sword, we effort, and a bit of their heart and soul into cast our eyes about the rocky landscape and the many exciting and inventive designs we wonder from which cave the next dragon will received (my personal favorite was the three- emerge. Only vigilance will keep us from be- sectioned, walking tank that resembled a coming as Poet McLandburgh Wilson says, cross between a catepillar and some Legos). Actually, all the designs got the participants Our hero is a man of peace, and the judges to thinking - that was the Preparedness he implores goal - as I am sure the top two we’ve pub- His sword within its scabbard sleeps, lished in this issue will get you thinking, too. But mercy, how it snores! If we ever stop looking for a better way to do business, we’re in trouble as a branch, as - J.D. Brewer By Order of the Secretary of the Army: Official: GORDON R. SULLIVAN MILTON H. HAMILTON General, United States Army Administrative Assistant to the Chief of Staff Secretary of the Army 64122 The Professional Development Bulletin of the Armor Branch PB- 17-93-4 Eddor-in-Chief MAJ J.D. BREWER Features 6 Managing Editor We Have a Winner! (Tank Design Contest ResuRs) JON T. CLEMENS 12 Cavalry Afloat: The 39th Cavalry Platoon in the Mekong Delta by Captain Kevin Keaveney Commandant MG PAUL E. FUNK 20 The Cat’s Eye by Major Allen T. Storey ARMOR (ISSN 0004-2420) is published bimonthly by the U.S. Army Armor Center, 4401 23 Desert Call for Fire for Tankers Vine Grove Road, Fort Knox, KY 40121. by Captain Robert Kewley Disclaimer: The information contained in ARMOR represents the profesdonal opinions of 26 Breakout and Pursuit: Drive from the Pusan Perlmeter the authors and does not necessarily reflect the by Major Arthur W. Connor Jr. official Army or TRADOC position, nor does it change or supersede any information presented 32 The Companyrnearn Preparation for Combat in other official Army publications. by Captain David J. Lemelin Jr. Official distribution is limited to one copy for each armored brigade headquarters, mred 35 A Plcture Tells a Thousand Words cavalfy regiment headquarters, armor battalion by Captain Jack Gumbert and Captain Brad Geri&e headquarters, armored cavalry squadron head- quarters, reconnaissance squadron head- 38 16th AD Was the Last U.S. Armored Divlsion quarters, armored cavalry troop, armor company, Formed During WWIi, And the Last Deployed and motorized brigade headquarters of the United States Army. In addition, Army libraries, 40 Forgotten Principles: The 28th Division in the Huertgen Forest Army and DOD schools. HQ DA and MACOM by Harry J. Schute, Jr. staff agencies with responsibility for armored. direct fire, ground combat systems, 45 An Introduction to Yugoslavia organizations, and the training of personnel for by Intelligence Division, Directorate of Combat Developments such organizations may request two copies by sending a military letter to the editor-inthief. 48 Hunter-Killer Operations Authorized Content: ARMOR will print only by Captain Karl S. Flynn and First Lieutenant Joseph Miller those materials for which the US. Army Armor Center has proponency. That pmponency Departments includes: all armored, direct-fire ground combat systems that do not serve primarily as infanby 2 Letters caniers; all weapons used exclusively in these 2 Contacts systems or by CMF 19-sefies enlisted soldiers; 5 Commander’s Hatch any miscellaneous items of equipment which amr and armored cavalry organizations use 44 Safety Notes exclusively; training for all SC 12A, 128, and 51 Bustle Rack 12C officers and for all CMF-19-series enlisted 52 Books soldiers; and information concerning the training, logistics, history, and leadership of armor and armored cavalry units at the bri(iadelregiment level and below, to indude Threat units at those levels. Material may be reprinted, provided credit is given to ARMOR and to the author, except where copyright is indicated. July-August 1993, VOI. CII NO. 4 -- --I ~___~ The "Christie Marine Tank" rejection of the Christie amphibian. To state mandant John Archer Lejeune received a And the MarInes that the USMC rejected the Christie marine report of a Christie amphibian that could tank (the 1923 unofficial nomenclature for operate either on its tracks or wheels. and an AAV) because of 'poor water speed and advised that, "the use of this mount seems Dear sir: buoyancy" does not do justice in describing to be indicated in landing operations of the the struggle the Marine Corps experienced Advanced Base." Shortly thereafter, Gen- Captain William P. Mclaughlin's artide, owits first AAV. eral Lejeune instructed Brigadier General The Assault Amphibian Vehicle (AAV): Its In 1921. a farsighted Marine, Earl H. Ellis, Smedley D. Butler, the CG at the Marine Past, Present and Future" (March-April produced "Advanced Base Operations in Barracks, Quantico, to acquire the Christie issue), was interesting and a welcome fea- Micronesia,' which outlined the USMC's marine vehicle for an unofficial test by an ture to ARMOR. However, in describing the operational plan for seizing hostile bases in assaulting force off of Culebra Island near early developmental history of the AAV, he the Pacific. This revolutionary plan became Puerto Rico. At no cost, J. Walter Christie failed to identify the major historical issues the linchpin of Marine Corps amphibian agreed to loan the vehide to the Marines, which influenced the Corps' decision-mak- doctrine in the event of war with Japan. and in Feb~ary1924, it was launched by a ing process in the 192Os, resulting in the The following year, Major General Com- submarine. However, due to large breaker ~~ (Nm Fort Knax Mmrc Switch Network 0 DIRECTORY - Points of Contact E&? C-ercid Wu is Area 'Ode 502- ARMOR Editorial Offices U.S. ARMY ARMOR SCHOOL Editor-in-Chief Commandant (ATZK-CG) Major J. D. Brewer 2249 MG Paul E. Funk 2121 Managing Editor Jon T. Clemens 2249 MintCommandant (ATSB-AC) Editorial Assistant BG Larry R. Jordan 7555 Vivian Thompson 2610 Chief of Staff, Armor School (ATSB-DAS) Production Mint COL John C. Johnston 1050 Mary Hags 2610 Contributing Artist Command Sergeant Major SPC Jody Hmon 2610 CSM Richard L. Ross 4952 Armor School Sergeant Major MAILING ADDRESS: ARMOR AmATZK-PTD, Port CSM Henry F. Hurley 5405 Kaax. KY 40121-5210. 16th Cavalry Regiment (ATSB-SBZ) ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS: To improve speed and acta- COL Richard W. Rock 7848 ncy in editing. mnaorcripca shdd be origmals or clear copier. either 1st Armor Training Brigade (ATSB-BAZ) typed or printed atdouble-rpaced in near-letterquality printer mode. COL Henry Hodge 6843 We .Ira accept stoner on 3Yz or SY4-inch floppy diskr in MultiMate. Wordstu. Microdl WORD, WdPerfea. XyWrite. and ASCII Directorate of Combat Developments (ATZK-CD) @lease include a double-spaced printout). Pkdu tepe captionr to any COL Edward A. Bryla 5050 illuatrationa suhnitted. NCO Academy (ATZK-NC) PAID SUBSCRIPTIONS/ST. GEORCEST. JOAN CSM Johnny D. Duncan 5150 AWARDS: problems or changes of address to Report delivery Reserve Component Spt Div (ATZK-YE) Coanie Bright or Tony. Mitcben, P.O. Box 607. Ft. Knox, Ky. LTC W. Thomas 5953 40121 OT call (SUZ)942-8624. FAX (502) 942-6219. Billy TRADOC System Manager UNIT DISTRIBUTION Report delivery pro~rmror for Armored Gun System (A'IZK-TS) changes of 8dhr to Mary Hager, DSN 464-2610; commercial: COL Charles Moler 7955 (502) 624-2610. Requests to be added to the free distribution Eat F. ihddbe in the form a€ a letter to the Editor-in-Chief. Mounted Warfighting Battlespace Lab (A'IZK-MW) COL David L. Porter 2139 ARMOR HOTLINE - DSN 464-TANK (The Armor Hotline ir a 24-hour service to pmvide assistance with Office of the Chief of Armor (ATZK-AR) qrwsticnr concerning doctrine. training. organizations. and equipment COL Don Elder 7809 of the Armor Force.) FAX - 7585 2 in the photo at left, Marines df 8ih Company, 5th Regiment, test the Christie Marine tank's assault capabilities in late February 1924, at Chiriqui Lagoon, Culebra, Puerto Rico.